Bowling ball hole gauging device and drilling apparatus



Sept. 9, 1969 A o. P. BLAKEIR E L 3,455,619

BOWLING BALL HOLE GAUGING DEVICE AND DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1966 a Sheets-Sheet 1 7 fix David R B/alrer Kenneth .1. Conrad I68 INVENTORS Sept 9, 1969 D. P. BLAKER ET AL 3,465,619

BOWLING BALL HOLE GAUGING DEVICE AND DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fly. 2

David f? Blake! Kenneth v. 6011 INVENTOR'S- Sept. 9, 1969 n. P. BLAKER ETAL 3,465,619

BOWLING BALL HOLE GAUGING'DEVICE AND DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 16, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 3

David P fi/aker Ken/rem .l. Conrad INVENTORS United States Patent 3,465,619 BOWLING BALL HOLE GAUGING DEVICE AND DRILLING APPARATUS David P. Blaker, Elmore City, Okla. (13710 Pebblebrook, Houston, Tex. 77025), and Kenneth J. Conrad, 7387 Broadway, Lemon Grove, Calif. 92045 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 352,450, Mar. 17, 1964. This application Aug. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 572,708

Int. Cl. B23b 41/00, 49/00 U.S. Cl. 775 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fitting ball adjusted to certain fingerstall positions is clamped in a gimbal assembly also holding a blank ball to be drilled. Both balls are simultaneously orientated by planar movement of a platen in perpendicular directions, pivotal movement of a frame on the platen and pivotal movement of the two ball holding gimbals relative to the frame in order to align a fingerstall on the fitting ball with a pin or the like mounted in fixed parallel spaced relation to the path of movement of the drilling tool.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our prior copending application U.S. Ser. No. 352,450, filed Mar. 17, 1964 now Patent No. 3,271,870 and relates to apparatus for fitting and drilling a bowling ball to suit the handgrip of individual bowlers.

An important object of the present invention is to provide in combination with a conventional type of drill press or drilling machine, a locating apparatus for drilling the finger-receiving holes in a bowling ball in accordance with locations established on a dummy or fitting ball. Thus, the locating apparatus enables an operator to rapidly and accurately orientate and position a bowling ball below the drill chuck of a drill press by simultaneously orientating and positioning the fitting ball below a locating arm mounted by the drill press for this purpose.

In accordance with the foregoing object, the locating apparatus of the present invention includes a supporting platen mounted for movement in a plane parallel to the base of the drilling machine or perpendicular to the upright column supporting the drilling head whereby both the fitting ball and the bowling ball to be drilled may be adjustably positioned relative to the supporting column or drilling head. Both of the balls are mounted on the supporting platen by a gimbal type holder assembly so that the balls may be orientated about perpendicular intersecting axes. The gimbal assembly includes therefore a pair of ball clamping rings or gimbals and means for insuring that both of the balls are simultaneously orientated in the same direction and by the same amount. According to the present invention, the means for simultaneously orientating the gimbals comprise worm gearing as compared to the linkage utilized in the locating apparatus disclosed in the prior copending parent application aforementioned. Accordingly, the fingerstalls on the fitting ball may be orientated relative to a locating arm so that when the fitting ball is aligned therewith, the ball to be drilled will then be precisely aligned with a drill bit received in the drill chuck of the drilling machine.

Another object of the present invention therefore, is to provide a fitting ball having adjustably positioned fingerstall assemblies arranged to be aligned with the aforementioned locating arm of the locating apparatus. The fingerstall assemblies are similar to but embody certain improvements over the fingerstall assemblies disclosed "ice and claimed in the aforementioned prior copending application. Further, a level indicating target device is associated with the fingerstall assemblies in connection with one form of locating apparatus.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the locating apparatus of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 2-2 of FIG URE 1 showing the locating apparatus in combination with a drilling machine.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 3-3 in FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the improved fingerstall assembly associated with the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line 55 in FIG- URE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a partial perspective view showing a modification of the locating apparatus illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGURES l, 2 and 3 illustrate a conventional-type of drilling machine or drill press generally denoted by reference numeral 10 with which the locating apparatus of the present invention may be associated, the locating apparatus being generally referred to by reference numeral 12. As explained in parent application aforementioned, the workpiece to be drilled by the drilling tool is a blank ball 24 held in the locating apparatus. The drill press includes a supporting base 14 on which the locating apparatus 12 may be mounted, a supporting column 16 and a drilling head 18 mounted by the column in spaced relation above the base. Associated with the drilling head, is a drill chuck 20 adapted to be displaced vertically in opposite directions by means of the feed control 22 in a manner well known in order to lower or raise a rotating drill bit relative to a workpiece mounted on the base.

The locating apparatus includes a relatively flat platen 26 which is generally parallel to the base 14 and mounted for movement in a plane perpendicular to the vertical axis of the supporting column 16 and the vertical axis along which the drill bit and drill chuck are fed. Toward this end, the platen 26 is provided with a pair of guide bars 28 and 30 which extend downwardly therefrom as more clearly seen in FIGURE 3 so as to guide movement of the platen in one direction in its plane of movement. The gulde bars 28 and 30 are therefore slidably engaged by guide rails 32 and 34 which project upwardly from the plate 36 to which they are connected. The plate 36 on the other hand is guided for movement in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which it guides movement of the platen 26. Toward this end, guide bars 38 and 40 are connected to and depend from the plate 36 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 2 in sliding engagement with the guide rails 42 and 44 connected to and projecting upwardly from the mounting plate 46. The mounting plate 46 is rigidly fastened to the base 14 by suitable means including for example the angle bracket 48 welded to the base and angle bracket 50 welded to the mounting plate, the brackets being interconnected by fastener assemblies 52.

The platen 26 constitutes a carriage which supports a gimbal assembly generally referred to by reference numeral 54. The gimbal assembly includes a rectangular frame consisting of parallel spaced side bars 56 and 58 spaced by the end bars 60 and 62, the bars being interconnected at the corners by angle elements 64 or any other suitable fastening means. The rectangular frame is pivotally mounted about an axis parallel to the plane of movement of the platen 26 by means of a pair of pivotal brackets 66 and 68 projecting upwardly from opposite longitudinal ends of the platen and secured thereto by the fasteners 70. The longitudinal axis about which the rectangular frame is pivoted, extends through a pair of stub shafts 72 projecting from the end bars 60 and 62 of the rectangular frame and received within apertures formed in the pivot brackets 66 and 68 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 2. The rectangular frame may thereby be angularly positioned as desired by the operator and held in an adjusted position by locking assembly 73 in order to simultaneously orientate the bowling ball 24 to be drilled and a dummy or master fitting ball 74. The locking assembly as shown in FIGURE 2 includes the clamping plates 75 and 77 engageable with a downwardly extending extension 79 of the end bar 62, the clamping plate 75 being threadedly mounted on the locking screw 81 having a head projecting from the bracket 68 through the plate 77.

The balls 24 and 74 are respectively clamped within gimbal holder rings 76 and 78 by means of clamps received on the studs 83 firmly holding each ball within its gimbal ring centrally aligned with a rotational axis for the gimbal ring extending through the shaft sections 82 and 84 respectively journalled within apertures formed in the side bars 56 and 58 of the rectangular frame. Thus, the gimbal rings 76 and 78 are capable of being angularly orientated with the balls clamped therein about perpendicular intersecting axes associated with the gimbal assembly 54.

The locating apparatus is provided with facilities for carefully positioning and orientating the balls 24 and 74 relative to the column 16 of the drill press. The platen 26 is therefore longitudinally positioned in one direction within its plane of movement by means of the positioning hand wheel 86 connected to one end of a screw shaft 88 which is rotatably journalled within spaced journal assemblies 90 and 92 connected to and depending from opposite longitudinal ends of the platen 26 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 2. A nut element 94 is secured to the plate 36 in alignment between the journal assemblies 90 and 92 and threadably receives the screw shaft 88 so that in response to rotation of the screw shaft by the hand wheel 86, movement will be imparted to the platen 26 along the axis of the screw shaft. A position guide 87 is fixed to the base for indicating the approximate position to which the platen should be adjusted by alignment of the guide with bracket 68. The platen may also be laterally positioned in the plane of movement by means of the positioning hand wheel 96 connected to one end of a screw shaft 98 which is rotatably journalled by spaced journal assemblies 100 and 102 fixed to the stationary mounting plate 46 as more clearly shown in FIGURE 3. A nut element 104 is secured to the plate 36 and depends therefrom in alignment between the journal assemblis 100 and 102. The screw shaft 98 is threaded through the nut element 104 so that upon rotation of the screw element, movement will be imparted to the plate 36 carrying the platen 26 therewith in a lateral direction. It will therefore be apparent that the gimbal assembly 54 may be positioned by means of the screw operating hand wheels 86 and 96 at any desired location within limits in the plane of movement. Once the gimbal assembly and the balls mounted therein are so positioned, the balls may be angularly orientated by angular displacement of the rectangular frame about its longitudinal axis and by simultaneous angular displacement of the gimbal rings 76 and 78 about their respective axes intersecting the longitudinal axis of the rectangular frame.

In order to simultaneously orientate both of the balls 24 and 74 in the same direction and by the same amount about their respective axes disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other, each shaft section 84 associated with the gimbal rings is connected at a projecting end to a worm wheel 106 as more clearly seen in FIGURE 3. The worm wheels 106 associated with the shaft sections are meshed with a pair of worm gears 108 secured to a common adjustment shaft 110 through which the worm gears and worm wheels are simultaneously rotated in the same direction and by the same amount. The adjustment shaft 110 is journalled by spaced journal brackets 112 secured to the horizontal leg of an elongated angle bar 114 fastened to the side bar 58 of the rectangular frame. Also secured to the side bar 58, is a dust shield 116 protectively enclosing the self-locking worm gearing through which the adjustment shaft 110 is drivingly connected to the gimbal orientating shaft sections 84. A gimbal orientating hand wheel 118 is connected to one end of the adjustment shaft 110 as shown in FIGURE 1 for manipulation by the operator.

It will now be apparent that through use of the positioning hand wheels 86 and 96 and the orientating hand wheel 118, the operator may position the ball 24 to be drilled in alignment below the drill chuck 20 of the drill press and then orientate the ball for drilling finger-receiving holes therein. The dummy ball 74 is therefore utilized in order to determine both the location of the gimbal assembly and the orientation of the ball 24 therein for drilling the finger-receiving holes. In one form of the invention, an elongated locating arm assembly 120 is mounted for angular displacement about the vertical axis extending through the column 16 by means of the spaced mounting rings 122 and 124 encircling the column and attached to the mounting plate 126 connected to one end of the locating arm assembly. A support collar 128 is fixedly secured to the column 16 below the mounting ring 124 so as to support the locating arm in vertically spaced relation above the gimbal assembly 54 and more closely spaced above the balls 24 and 74. The end of the locating arm assembly remote from the column 16 is provided with a bracket 130 slidably supporting an alignment pilot pin 132 which is adapted to be received within a finger-receiving insert associated with one of the adjustable fingerstall assemblies 134 of the dummy or fitting ball 74. The pin 132 is held in its upper position by means of a holding arm 133 pivoted below the bracket 130, which is swung out of the way when using the alignment pinv With the longitudinal axis of the locating arm 120 intersecting the vertical axis along which the drill bit extends from the drill chuck 20, the ball 24 to be drilled will be properly aligned with the drill bit when the alignment pin 132 is received within the bore of a finger insert in the fitting ball 74. In order to properly align the locating arm assembly 120 below the drill chuck 20, a locating pin 136 is mounted on the locating arm assembly spaced from the alignment pin 132 and extending vertically in intersecting relation to the longitudinal axis of the locating arm assembly. The locating pin 136 is also fixedly spaced from the axis of the column 16 by the proper radial distance so that it may be received within the drill chuck 20 when the locating arm 120 is swung to its proper position in alignment therebelow. The locating arm 120 may then be held in this position by engagement of the positioning pin 136 within the drill chuck. Also, the spacing between the positioning pin 136 and the alignment pin 132 is equal to the center to center distance between the gimbal rings 76 and 78 or the balls 24 and 74 clamped therein, in order to properly locate the ball 24 when the ball 74 receives the alignment pin 132.

An alternative method for locating the fitting ball 74 at a reference location corresponding to the drilling location for the bowling ball 24, is illustrated in FIGURE 6. In accordance with this alternative method, the locating arm assembly 120 aforementioned is replaced by a locating arm 138 pivotally connected by the hinge 140 to a support bracket 142 secured to the base 14 in fixed spaced relation to the column 16 and in laterally spaced relation thereto. Accordingly, the locating arm 138 may be swung into the solid line position shown in FIGURE 6- in order to establish a reference location at its target sighting aperture 144 adapted to be aligned with the finger insert of the adjustable fingerstall assembly 134 in the fitting ball 74. The fitting ball must therefore be angularly oriented to a position wherein the axis of. the finger insert bore is perefectly vertical or parallel to the vertical rotating axis of the drill bit in order to correspondingly orientate the bowling ball 24 to be drilled. Thus, in connection with the modification shown in FIGURE 6, a level indicating target device 158 is provided as shown in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5, it will be observed that each fingerstall assembly 134 is provided with a seating element 146 and a clamp member 148 similar to the seating elements and clamp members associated with the fingerstall assemblies disclosed and claimed in the prior copending application aforementioned. A finger receiving insert 150 is also associated with the fingerstall assembly and clamped between the bearing surface portions 152 and 154 of the seating element and clamp member, the insert being provided with a finger-receiving bore 156 within which the level indicating target device 158 may be mounted. The target device 158 includes therefore, an exposed mounting base 160 which mounts a level indicating bubble portion 162 within which a levelling bubble will indicate the vertical positioning of the shank portion 164 when the bore of the finger-receiving insert 150 is properly orientated in the locating apparatus. The target device 158 may of course be removed from the finger insert and replaced by an alignment bushing when utilizing the locating arm assembly 120- as described in connection with FIG- URES 1 through 3.

The dummy ball 74 is fitted to the natural handgrip of an individual bowler by means of the fingerstall assemblies adjustably mounted therein as explained in detail in the aforementioned prior copending application. Each fingerstall assembly is then locked in its adjusted position and the finger insert clamped in its orientated position at the same time by means of a screw clamping assembly of an improved type generally referred to by reference numeral 166 as more clearly shown in FIGURE 5. The screw clamping assembly includes a ball engaging element 168 connected by a ball and socket connection 170 to an externally threaded screw shank 172. The ball engaging element 168 is axially displaced by the screw shank 172 into engagement with the bottom of an adjustment slot 174 formed in the fitting ball tending to displace the seating element 146 from the fixed path of movement to which it is constrained by the guide projections 176 projecting laterally therefrom as shown in FIGURE 4. Thus, the seating element 146 is locked by a binding action in its adjusted position. The end 178 of the screw shank 172 is slotted for reception of a screwdriver and is threadedly received within an externally threaded, hollow screw element 180 open at opposite axial ends so as to both expose the slotted end 178 of the screw shank 172 as well as to accommodate the projection of the screw shank therefrom. The hollow screw element is provided with a head portion 182 received within a socket cavity 184 formed in the seating element against which the head portion 182 bears. The screw element 180 may also be held in axially fixed position within the seating element by means of a setscrew element 186. The hollow screw element 180 also extends loosely through an aperture 188 formed in the clamp member 148 and projects from the clamp element centrally through a recess 190 in its top arcuate surface. A clamping nut 192 is threadedly mounted on the screw element 180 and bears against the clamp member 148 within the recess 190 in order to clamp the finger-receiving insert 150 between the clamp member 148 and the seating element 146.

From the foregoing description, the utility and construction of the apparatus and elements associated with the present invention, will be apparent. It will be appreciated therefore, that by virtue of the present invention both the gauging and drilling of finger holes in bowling balls may be rapidly and accurately effected to suit individual bowlers. By use of the adjustable fingerstall assemblies 134, the locations and orientations of fingerreceiving bores may be established in the fitting ball 74 by the clamping of the finger inserts 150 in adjusted and orientated positions determined by the bowlers grip. The fitting ball 74 as well as a bowling ball 24 to be drilled may then be clamped within the respective gimbal rings of the locating apparatus 12 utilizing either the locating arm as shown in FIGURES 1 through 3 or locating arm 1.38, as shown in FIGURE 6. The reference location for the fitting ball and its angular orientation is then established either by reception of the alignment pin 132 within the finger bore 156 of the insert after the positioning pin 136 is clamped within the drill chuck 20 or by sighting the level indicating target device 158 through the aperture 144 in the locating arm 138 following the orientation of the dummy ball 174 to a position levelling the bubble within the target device. The bowling ball 24 will then be in a proper position below the drill chuck of the drill press so that after the locating arm is swung out of the way and a drill bit inserted within the drill chuck the drilling machine may be operated to form a finger-receiving hole within the bowling ball. The halls may then be reorientated in order to drill the other finger receiving holes utilizing the same locating procedure. Positioning of the balls is of course effected by means of the screw operating hand wheels 86 and 96 while orientation of the balls is effected by displacement of the rectangular frame and simultaneous displacement of the gimbal rings through the hand wheel 118.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a base, and a drill mounted for vertical movement, apparatus for drilling holes in bowling balls comprising, a supporting platen mounted by the base for movement in a plane perpendicular to the path of movement of the drill, a frame rotatably mounted by the platen about a first axis parallel to said plane, a pair of ball clamping gimbals rotatably mounted by said frame about parallel spaced axes intersecting said first axis, means connected to said platen for adjustable positioning thereof, orientating means connected to said pair of gimbals for simultaneous angular adjustment thereof about said pair of parallel spaced axes, and locating means for adjustably positioning one of the gimbals at a reference location to align a bowling ball clamped in the other of the gimbals with the drill.

2. The combination of claim 1 including a fitting ball clamped in said one of the gimbals having an adjustably mounted fingerstall therein adapted to be aligned with said locating means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said locating means comprises a locating arm rotatably mounted by the column above the frame, an alignment pin mounted by the locating arm for reception within the fingerstall of the fitting ball and a positioning pin mounted by the 10- cating arm in spaced relation to the alignment pin and adapted to be engaged by the drill chuck to position the arm below the drilling head.

4. The combination of claim 1 including a fitting ball clamped in said one of the gimbals having an adjustably mounted fingerstall therein and a level indicating target device received in said fingerstall adapted to be aligned with said locating means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said locating means comprises, a locating arm having a target aligning aperture therein, and means pivotally mounting the 10- cating arm on the base for angular displacement of the arm to a position aligning the aperture with the reference location.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said locating means comprises a locating arm rotatably mounted by the column above the frame, an alignment pin mounted by the locating arm and a positioning pin mounted by the locating arm in spaced relation to the alignment pin and adapted to be engaged by the drill chuck to position the arm below the drilling head.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said locating means comprises, a locating arm having a target aligning aperture therein, and means pivotally mounting the 10- eating arm on the base for angular displacement of the arm to a position aligning the aperture with the reference location.

8. In combination with a drill mounted for vertical movement, apparatus for drilling holes in bowling balls comprising, a base, a supporting platen mounted by the base for movement in a plane perpendicular to the path of said vertical movement, a pair of ball clamping elements, gimbal means adjustably mounting said ball clamping elements on the supporting platen, positioning means connected to the platen and the gimbal means for simultaneously orientating the ball clamping elements, a fitting ball received in one of the ball clamping elements and locating means for establishing a reference location to which the fitting ball is displaced by the positioning means aligning a bowling ball within the other of the clamping elements with the drill.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said locating means comprises a locating arm rotatably mounted by the column above the frame, an alignment pin mounted by the locating arm for reception within the fitting ball and a positioning pin mounted by the locating arm in spaced relation to the alignment pin and adapted to be engaged by the drill chuck to position the arm below the drilling head.

107 The combination of claim 8 including a level indicating target device mounted by the fitting ball adapted to be aligned with said locating means.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said locating means comprises, a locating arm having a target aligning aperture therein, and means pivotally mounting the locating arm on the base for angular displacement of the arm to a position aligning the aperture with the reference location.

12. The combination of claim 8 wherein said locating means comprises, a locating arm having a target aligning -8 aperture therein, and means pivotally-mounting the locating arm on the base for angular displacement of the arm to a position aligning the aperture with the reference location.

13. The combination of claim 1 wherein said orientating means comprises, a pair of gear elements respectively connected to said pair of gimbals and a common gear member enmeshed with both of said gear elements for simultaneous displacement of the gimbals.

14. In a machine for drilling holes'in a blank ball in accordance with the positionsand pitch angles of holes in a master ball, the combination of, a base, a drilling tool supported for movement alonga predetermined path, a pin, means on said base for supporting said pin for movement along a second path parallel to said predetermined path, a first holder disposed along said predetermined path to support the blank ball for engagement with the drilling tool, a second holder disposed along said second path to support the master ball for,engagem'ent with the pin, a carriage mounted on said base for movement in a first direction perpendicular to said paths, a frame supported on said carriage for movement in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, said frame being pivoted on said carriage for rocking movement relative to the base about a predetermined axis perpendicular to said paths, and said holders being pivoted in side-by-side relation on said frame for rocking movement relative to the frame about parallel axes perpendicular to said predetermined axis, means operatively connecting said holders for rocking in unison about parallel axes, and means for bringing the pin into one hole of the master ball and thereby position the blank ball relative to said predetermined path in accordance with the positioning of the master ball relative to said second path for duplication of the holes in the blank ball.

15. The combination of claim 14 including means for locking the second holder in place with the axis of the one hole in the master ball aligned with said second path.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,643,557 6/1953 Grove 7763 3,137,074 6/1964 Jesonis. 3,143,901 8/1964 Bawtinheimer et al. 3,271,870 9/1966 Blaker et al. 33-174 3,382,740 5/1968 Lotta 77-5 FRANCIS S. HUSAR, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R 

